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Tuesday, 7 March 2017

Top picture book picks for spring

Here at Walker HQ we're feeling the spring vibes and can't wait to show you our selection of picture books for the new season. Our top five picks for March are all unique – some historical, some hysterical, some perfectly poignant and guaranteed to tug on your heart strings and inspire young minds. There's something for everyone!

From Mo Willems, the multi award-winning creator of the
Pigeonseries and the Knuffle Bunnytrilogy, comes a hilarious new
tongue-twister read-aloud about a little girl, Nanette, on a mission to buy a
baguette. It's Nanette's very first solo trip to the bakery. But will Nanette
get the baguette from baker Juliette? Or will Nanette soon be beset with
regret? Set in a meticulously handcrafted-paper-modelled French village, the
uniquely vibrant laugh-out-loud world of Nanette's Baguette may be Mo's best
creation yet. Get set to "crack" into an irresistible tale you won't
soon forget!

A fresh, warm-hearted story of finding new friendship from
Daisy Hirst, one of the most exciting new voices in children's storytelling. In her truly authentic and original voice, Daisy Hirst,
creator of Alphonse, That Is Not OK To Do!introduces two loveable new
characters to the picture book world. Hilda the
pot-bellied pig lives at the foot of a hill. Life is uneventful and she is
always where she expects herself to be. At the top of the hill lives a
mischievous baby who is never ever where people expect him to be, which is why
he is known as the Runaway Baby. But on a high-speed escapade in a pram, the
Runaway Baby and Hilda’s worlds collide ... and an unlikely friendship begins.

TriangleMeet Triangle. He is going to play a sneaky trick on his friend, Square. Or so Triangle thinks... From the multi-award-winning, New York Times bestselling team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen (creator of This Is Not My Hat and I Want My Hat Back), this mischievous, shifty-eyed story about some very sneaky shapes is the first tale in an exciting new shape trilogy that approaches the traditional concept from a whole new angle.

From the endlessly innovative and playful Viviane Schwarz comes a funny first counting book with a wonderfully feline twist in the tail! At first Tiny Cat has none. Then, what’s that? One! Two! Three! And … four! Oops, bonk, now there’smore! Soon Tiny Cat has as many red balls of wool as you can get. Then some extra. Too many…?! Will Tiny Cat ever have just enough? With very few words – and loads of visual humour – counting has never been so much fun!

"A delightfully off-the-wall exploration of numbers with the help of a cat and several balls of yarn. The bold black and white illustrations will engage babies of every development stage." - Baby London.

From radio and television broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, and Kate Greenaway Medal-winner P. J. Lynch, comes a picture book about President John F. Kennedy’s return to his ancestral home in Ireland in 1963. He described it as the best four days of his life and, for a generation of Irish people, it was a trip they never forgot. In this picture book Ryan captures the fevered excitement in the build-up to JFK’s visit – told through the eyes of a young boy called Patrick who wants to know, more than anything, what it would feel like to shake the President’s hand...

So, the very kind Silvia Borando has got you a pet cat...and he lives within the pages of this book! He's super sweet and makes barely any mess - an ideal pet, really. As his owner, it’s your job to wake him up (call out his name), softly stroke his back (with your finger) and shelter him from the rain (your hand makes a great umbrella!). It’s hard work, but it’s so much fun. This new, playful picture book encourages readers to interact with the pages and, with the help of your imagination, bring a purr-fect cat to life. Meeoww!Not a cat person? Then try The Dog Book instead! There's a pet dog for you inside the pages of this book. Isn’t he cute? Just look at him wag his tail! As a pet-owner, it’s your job to wake him up (call out his name), rub his belly (with your finger) and clean him up when he gets muddy (your t-shirt makes a great towel!)

Daisy Hirst, creator of The Girl with the Parrot on Her Head tells an authentic and original story about sibling rivalry. Natalie the monster mostly loves her little brother Alphonse being there – they name pigeons, bounce things off bunk beds, share stories and make lots of fun stuff together. But, when Natalie catches Alphonse eating her most favourite book...?! Well, that is not OK! "A heart-warming tale', RTE.

In this 10th anniversary edition of a modern classic by Polly Dunbar, the creator of Hello Tilly, we hear the story of Ben, who couldn’t be more delighted to find a penguin friend inside his present. “Hello, Penguin!” he says. Penguin says nothing. Ben tickles Penguin, pulls his funniest face, puts on a happy hat, sings a silly song and does a dizzy dance...still Penguin says nothing. Soon a passing lion intervenes and Penguin finally speaks – when he does, Ben discovers that some things are worth the wait. Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal and the winner of numerous other awards, this is a beautiful edition to share and treasure with a foreword and gorgeous gold foil on the cover.

"This heart-warming book conjures imagination, anger, danger and love, while encouraging small children to remember events, read pictures and laugh" The Sunday Times. You can get your paws on all these books at your local bookshop. Happy reading!